Single Finger in Photo Leads to Capture of Money Launderers, Book Reveals

In a revelation from the book 'Rinsed' by investigative journalist Geoff White, it's unveiled how a single finger in a photo led to the apprehension of two notorious money launderers. The book delves into the intricacies of modern-day money laundering, shedding light on various high-profile cases, including the arrests of Ghaleb Alaumary and his accomplice, Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, also known as 'Hushpuppi'.

The investigation commenced in 2017 when the U.S. Secret Service apprehended an individual attempting to fraudulently claim a loan in Texas. Subsequently, the man divulged his involvement in a larger international fraud syndicate, leading investigators to a figure known as 'Ockie', the mastermind behind several large-scale frauds.

'Ockie' had taken precautions to conceal his identity, necessitating nearly a year of tracking by the Secret Service before a breakthrough. This breakthrough came in the form of a photo of a credit card sent to an accomplice, where one of 'Ockie's' fingers was inadvertently visible.

Forensic experts managed to extract a fingerprint from the image, which matched that of Ghaleb Alaumary, a dual Canadian and U.S. citizen residing in Ontario, in the national criminal database.

Despite being based in Canada and outside U.S. jurisdiction, Alaumary remained under surveillance as authorities awaited an opportunity for his arrest. Meanwhile, Alaumary was involved in laundering millions of dollars stolen by North Korean hackers, including the notorious Lazarus Group.

In early 2019, Alaumary reached out to Abbas, known as 'Hushpuppi', a Nigerian influencer flaunting a lavish lifestyle on social media. Alaumary solicited Abbas's assistance in laundering proceeds from a planned heist on Malta’s Bank of Valletta.

Although the bank thwarted the hack and reclaimed most of the stolen funds, Alaumary and Abbas joined forces for another endeavor. In October 2019, they attempted to launder over $900,000 pilfered from a New York state law firm through a fraudulent transaction.

Simultaneously, Alaumary planned a vacation in the Bahamas while maintaining communication with Abbas regarding the New York fraud. However, upon a tip-off from the Secret Service, Bahamian immigration officials denied Alaumary entry. He subsequently attempted to return to Canada via the U.S., where he was arrested upon arrival.

Following Alaumary's disclosure of his collaboration with Abbas, Dubai police raided Abbas's residence in the Palazzo Versace hotel in June 2020, leading to his arrest.

Both Alaumary and Abbas pleaded guilty to money laundering charges in the U.S., with Alaumary receiving a sentence of 11 years and eight months, and Abbas sentenced to 11 years and three months.

By fLEXI tEAM